Foot exercising device



Filed March 10, 1941 mm m Mm y W m. n

INVENTOR ATTORN 5.

Patented July 6, 1943 UETED STATS PATENT FFECE FOOT EXERCISING DEVICE Anthony Vigorith, Cincinnati, Ohio Application March 10, 1941, Serial No. 382,537

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a foot exercising and massaging device to be incorporated in articles of footwear.

An object of the invention is to provide a shoe with means to automatically exercise and massage the foot, whenever the person wearing the shoe is walking, so as to avoid fatigue and at the same time induce a healthy foot condition over a period of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide an exerciser and massager which is so constructed, and so built into the shoe during manufacture, as to increase but slightly the cost of the shoe.

A further object is the provision of means for the purposes stated, which will enhance rather than detract from the ability of a shoe to keep its shape, even after long usage.

Another object is to incorporate the means of the invention into the insole upon which the shoe is built, thereby avoiding the need for extra sole parts, simplifying the structure, and reducing the weight of the finished shoe to a practical minimum.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a shoe insole equipped in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the relationship between certain constituents of the shoe insole and the various bones of the human foot.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a modification.

Fig. 4 is a slightly enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4.

As stated in the foregoing objects, the purpose of the insole structure of the present invention, is that of massaging or exercising the human foot. To perform the desired function, it is of course, necessary to resort to soft resilient pads, which, as is well known, have long ago been incorporated in shoe constructions in one way or another. In the past, however, the padding of shoes with resilient material was proposed as a means of either cushioning, the foot or elevating selected portions of the bonestructure whi h appeared. to

require added support in the majority of common foot ailments.

The means of the present invention has been developed from a view point altogether different than that of merely cushioning the bones of the foot, or lending support to particular bones. Instead, the present invention has as its primary purpose the provision of means differing from the ordinary pad construction, with a view to providing for massage and exercise of the foot bones, while affording at the same time various gripping surfaces upon which the bones and joints may act under perambulatory conditions. With the instant invention incorporated in a shoe, the act of walking is literally stimulated, since the human foot, by reason of its natural characteristics, performs with maximum eificiency over ridged or uneven surfaces. In recognition of this fundamental principle, the insole structure of the invention has been developed in the manner herein disclosed.

With reference to the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1, the character 6 indicates a shoe insole for the right foot. As is customary, the insole may be made of thin leather or other suitable material. The insole has a heel portion 1 and a toe portion 8, there being a curved section at 9 located approximately where the ball of the human foot would rest upon the insole.

At a location upon the insole, where the metatarsals of the foot structure terminate, the insole is subjected to a stamping operation which dies out a section of the insole and leaves an aperture In which may be substantially pear shaped, with the enlarged end thereof disposed toward that side of the insole which supports the great toe. Forwardly of the aperture Ill, and preferably directly under the proximal phalanges another substantially pear shaped aperture I2 is formed in the insole, with the enlarged end thereof extending in an opposite direction to that of the enlarged end of aperture I'B. Another aperture l3 forwardly of the aperture I2, is by preference located along the forward termini of the proximal phalanges. Each of the apertures Ill, [2 and [3 has Within its confines a soft resilient pad corresponding in shape to the shape of the several apertures.

At this point. in the description, two important features are, to. be recognized, that, is, an integral,

strut l4 between the apertures l and I2, and another between the apertures l2 and I3. The second strut bears the reference character I5, and as will be observed from the illustration of Fig. 1, both struts will perform the function of reinforcing the insole across its width to prevent such spreading thereof as would result in deformation of the shoe. Along both sides of the insole and adjacent to the ends of apertures I0, I2 and I3 margins l6 and H are preserved in order that the upper and the outsole of the shoe may be stitched or otherwise attached thereto during the manufacturing process. The struts I4 and I5 serve to maintain a predetermined distance between opposed margins of the insole. It might here be mentioned that in some instances it may be considered desirable to provide additional apertures and resilient pads crosswise of the insole, and in that event such apertures and pads are to be separated by struts comparable to those indicated at M and I5. The resilient pads for the several apertures are indicated at l8, I9 and 20.

The second important consideration with respect to the resilient pads is that they shall be thicker than the insole material, and shall extend at an elevation above the surface of the insole which would normally be expected to contact the bottom of the human foot. This will be explained in greater detail in connection with Fig. 3 because of the fact that the cross sectional views of Figs. 4 and 5 are taken on Fig. 3, and will therefore, more clearly illustrate the relationship of the parts.

The modification illustrated by Fig. 3 differs from Fig. l in that the contours of the apertures and pads are simpler in geometric form, thereby resulting in the provision of reinforcing struts 34 and 35 which are straight rather than curved. Apertures 30 and 33 simulate in shape rather large chords of a circle, whereas aperture 32 is substantially parallelogrammatic of shape. The pads 38, 33 and 40 are in all principal respects the same as pads I8, [9 and 20 of Fig. 1, the difference being only in the general outline. Pads 38, 39 and 40, as shown in Fig. 4, are substantially thicker than the material of insole 6, and their opposite faces extend beyond the opposite faces of the insole. Soft resilient pads arranged as explained herein, have been proven softer and more susceptible to deformation under the pressure of the foot, than are single pads of one piece construction. Moreover, the spacing of the pads as disclosed affords resilient humps or ridges which may be gripped by the muscles and joints at the bottom of the human foot during walking. As the foot is lifted and subsequently lowered to support the weight of the body, the resilient pads act to massage and exercise the joints and muscles where they come into contact with the pads. This action, of course, would not occur to any noticeable beneficial extent, were the pad structure level with the insole and formed as a single piece. It is necessary that the several independent resilient pads extend beyond that face of the insole which supports the foot, if the stated advantages are to be achieved.

As is most clearly illustrated by Fig. 5, the apertures formed in the insole are beveled as at M along their edges, in order that the size of each aperture will appear to be greater at that fac 42 of the insole upon which the foot will contact when the shoe is applied. By this means, the resilient pads are precluded from falling out of the insole apertures, in the direction of the outsole while the shoe is undergoing manufacture, or repair, or replacement of the outsole. The same retaining effect upon the resilient pads may be accomplished by the alternative method of skiving or tapering the edges of the pads rather than the edges of the apertures, as will be understood.

While it is quite immaterial what the composition of the resilient pads may be, such pads might be made of cork, rubber, or resilient fibres of on kind or another, as well as of compositions or combinations of such materials. For instance, a well known resilient pad material made up of ground cork impregnated with rubber could be used for the pads. It is considered preferable, though not absolutely necessary, to utilize a resilient pad material which may be obtained in sheet form and having such characteristics as are favorable to formation of individual pads with the use of a press or punch.

In Figs. 1 and 3, the observer views the insole faces which are exposed to the bottom of the foot when the insoles are incorporated in a shoe. As should be evident, the foot support or face of the insole will require the application of a stocking lining interiorly of the shoe, this being common practice in the art. In constructing shoes embodying the present invention, however, the application of any sheets, fillers, or inserts which would have the effect of eliminating the elevations and depressions formed by the pads and their adjacent reinforcing struts, is to be carefully avoided.

Shoes made in accordance with the teaching herein disclosed have proven highly effective for restoring the feet to a healthy condition by reason of the exercising and massaging effect imparted thereto by the extending pads placed in the insole and separated by the intermediate reinforcing struts. The resilient protuberances extending transversely of the insole, that result from the resilient pad arrangement disclosed, are responsible for avoiding fatigue and the tired feeling that often accompanies long walking, for the reason that the muscles and-joints of the foot are thereby afforded properly designed surfaces to be gripped between the foot joints, and by the muscles that extend across and along the bottom of the foot.

The means of the present invention has the advantages of simplicity of construction, and minimum production costs. The improved insole assembly does not interfere with the manufacturing process, and it insures the production of a shoe which will not spread laterally in the region of the ball of the foot after the shoe has been in use for a period of time. Other advantages of the structure have been pointed out hereinabove, and need not therefore, be repeated.

What is claimed is:

l. A foot massaging structure for shoes, comprising a thin sheet of flexible insole material cut to insole configuration and having a series of transverse apertures formed therein, integral struts between the apertures, having the same thickness as the flexible material of the insole, a series of soft resilient pads each shaped to fit an aperture, said pads each being approximately twice the thickness of the insole material, the thickness of each pad being uniform at all points on its surface, and along all edges thereof, whereby the pads when located within the apertures of the insole present sharply defined edges spaced apart and elevated above the struts and the adjacent areas of the insole sheet, to furnish a series of spaced projecting edges having a massaging action upon the foot of the wearer as the foot in walking alternately applies and release pressure against the pad edges. 1 2. A foot massaging structure for shoes, comprising a thin sheet of flexible insole material cut to insole configuration and having a series of transverse apertures formed therein, integral struts between the apertures, having the same thickness as the flexible material of the insole, a series of soft resilient pads each shaped to fit an aperture, said pads each being approximately twice the thickness of the insole material, the thickness of each pad being uniform at all points on its surface, and along all edges thereof, whereby the pads when located within the apertures of the insole present sharply defined edges spaced apart and elevated above the struts and the adjacent areas of the insole sheet, to furnish a series of spaced projecting edges having a massaging action upon the foot of the wearer as the foot in walking alternately applies and releases pressure against the pad edges, the edges of the apertures being tapered for constricting the size of the apertures at one face of the insole, to form indentations in the thick edges of the inserted pads for holding the pads in place without detracting from the sharpness of the pad edges.

3. A foot massaging structure for shoes, com- .prising a thin sheet of flexible insole material cut to insole configuration and having three transverse spaced apertures formed therein, the first of said apertures being located to underlie the forward ends of the metatarsals of the foot, the second aperture being located to underlie principally the rear ends of the proximal phalanges, leaving an integral strut in the flexible insole material underlying the joints between said metatarsals and proximal phalanges of the foot, and the third aperture being located forwardly of the other two apertures to underlie the joints of the foot formed between the proximal and medial phalanges, a series of soft resilient pads each shaped to fit an aperture, said pads each being approximately twice the thickness of the insole sheet, the thickness of each pad being uniform at all points on its surface, and along all edges thereof, whereby the pads when located within the apertures of the insole present sharply defined edges spaced apart and elevated above the struts and the adjacent areas of the insole sheet, to furnish a series of spaced projecting edges having a massaging action upon the foot of the wearer as the foot in walking alternately applies and releases pressure against the pad edges.

4. A foot massaging structure for shoes, comprising a thin sheet of flexile insole material cut to insole configuration and having three transverse spaced apertures formed therein, the first of said apertures being located to underlie the forward ends of the metatarsals of the foot, the second aperture being located to underlie principally the rear ends of the proximal phalanges, leaving an integral strut in the flexible insole material underlying the joints between said metatarsals and proximal phalanges of the foot, and the third aperture being located forwardly of the other two apertures to underlie the joints of the foot formed between the proximal and medial phalanges, a series of soft resilient pads each shaped to fit an aperture, said pads each being approximately twice the thickness of the insole sheet, the thickness of each pad being uniform at all points on its surface, and along all edges thereof, whereby the pads when located within the apertures of the insole present sharply defined edges spaced apart and elevated above the struts and the adjacent areas of the insole sheet, to furnish a series of spaced projecting edges having a massaging action upon the foot of the wearer as the foot in walking alternately applies and releases pressure against the pad edges, the edges of the apertures being tapered for constricting the size of the apertures at one face of the insole, to form indentations in the thick edges of the inserted pads for holding the pads in place Without detracting from the sharpness of the pad edges.

ANTHONY VIGORITH. 

